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Kansas wild bird populations weathering avian influenza

By Associated Press - | Mar 25, 2015

? The wildlife disease coordinator in Kansas says wild bird population numbers appear unaffected by an outbreak of avian influenza.

Shane Hesting of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism said Wednesday that Kansas has sent one wild goose suspected of having the disease for further testing. The bird was found in Lyon County along the Cottonwood River. That test result isn’t expected for a couple of days.

He says Kansas no longer tests wild bird populations for the disease because of a lack of funding.

The state has not had any other reports of dead waterfowl or other migratory birds. Hesting says most wild birds live with these types of viruses for so long they have immunity to them. But wild birds can be carriers that infect domestic flocks.